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Authors: Shusaku Yosa
One of the first elements you decide when launching a website is the "domain." The question "Does a domain affect SEO?" is often asked, but the actual impact ranges from limited to non-negligible. This article correctly organizes the impact a domain has on SEO and explains the points to consider when choosing and operating one.
A domain is the string of characters that serves as a website's address (for example, example.com). The ending part such as ".com" or ".jp" is called the "top-level domain (TLD)," and the freely chosen part before it is called the "second-level domain." It is both an identifier for the site and an element that affects the impression users and the brand make.
There was once a time when it was said that "putting keywords in your domain makes it easier to rank highly," but today's Google does not treat keywords in the domain name as a direct, strong ranking factor. Even if you stuff keywords into a domain, that alone will not raise your rankings, so there is no need to force keywords into it.
There is basically no direct ranking difference based on the TLD, such as "being .com is advantageous" or "being .xyz is disadvantageous." However, it can affect users' sense of trust and the click-through rate. Indirect effects, such as ".jp" providing a sense of reassurance for a Japan-oriented service, are worth keeping in mind.
The fact that a domain was acquired long ago is not in itself a direct ranking factor. What matters is not the length of the operating period, but the trustworthiness accumulated during that time, such as high-quality content and backlinks. Even a new domain can be sufficiently evaluated if you continuously build up quality content.
There is also a method of purchasing a used domain that was operated in the past, but caution is needed. If you use a domain that has a history of spam or penalties, you risk inheriting its negative evaluation. When considering a used domain, it is important to always investigate its past usage history.
When choosing a domain, it is good to prioritize that it be short and memorable, that it match the service name or brand, and that it be easy to type and pronounce. Rather than stuffing in keywords for the sake of SEO, choosing a domain as a brand that users can easily recognize and remember works in your favor in the long run. Choose a TLD that suits your target users and business. For global expansion, ".com" is common, while for a business within Japan, ".jp" or ".co.jp" are typical choices.
Once you have decided on a domain, it is desirable to change it as little as possible. Changing a domain risks resetting the evaluation you have accumulated up to that point. If you must change it, setting up a proper "301 redirect" from the old domain to the new one is essential to carry over the evaluation. Also, whether to develop content under a subdomain (blog.example.com) or a subdirectory (example.com/blog) is a point to consider. Generally, a subdirectory that makes it easier to consolidate the evaluation of the entire site is recommended in many cases, but the optimal solution varies depending on the scale of the site and the operating structure.
The direct impact a domain has on SEO is not as large as many people think. More important than keywords or the TLD is choosing a memorable domain that fits your brand and operating it stably over the long term. While keeping in mind the risks of used domains and the redirect measures needed when changing domains, focusing on improving the quality of your content is what ultimately leads to the most effective SEO.
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